A bumper calendar of world class sporting events has seen a significant rise in domestic and international overnight visitation to NSW, which is set to continue with more big events planned for 2016.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres said the latest NVS and IVS figures show a steep rise in overnight visitors to NSW whose purpose was to ‘participate in or watch organised sport’.

“Sport has become a huge driver of visitation to the State, thanks to the incredible calendar of events secured by Destination NSW, the State Government’s major events and tourism agency. In 2015 more than one million overnight visitors came to the State to participate in or watch sport, representing a rise of almost 9% on the previous year’s figures,” he said.

“These visitors stayed in NSW for almost 3 million nights, and contributed more than $744 million to the local visitor economy. This is a fantastic result for NSW hotels, restaurants, businesses and attractions, and with more world class sporting events to come this year these good results are expected to continue.”

So far in 2016 NSW has hosted exclusive events such as the world premiere of Fast4 Tennis, endurance motor race Bathurst 12 Hour, Australian Cross Triathlon Championships in the Snowy Mountains, the Australian Open of Surfing at Manly, Sail Port Stephens, skateboarding competition Bondi BOWL-A-RAMA, Surfest in Newcastle, Rugby Union’s Sydney Sevens, and many more.

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase said there is still so much to come in the remaining months of the year.

“The College Football Sydney Cup will see a NCAA College Football competition match played in Australia for the very first time, with the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors taking on the University of California Golden Bears at ANZ Stadium on 27 August,” she said.

“NSW will also host games 1 and 3 of the Rugby League State of Origin series, Rugby Union’s Bledisloe Cup, motorsport Rally Australia in Coffs Harbour, V8 Supercar races Bathurst 1000 and Sydney 500, the Australian Open Golf, the AUS-X Open of Supercross, L’Etape by Le Tour de France Cycling Race in the Snowy Mountains, military-inspired obstacle course True Grit in the Hawkesbury, the Port to Port Cycling Classic and many more.”

Major exclusive events have already been secured for 2017 as well, with English Premier League football giants Arsenal taking on Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers in July, and the FIP World Polo Championship is taking place in the Hawkesbury in October. Both of these events are set to attract thousands of domestic and international visitors to NSW.